Detained French Journalists Released By Taliban Militants

Thursday, June 30 – Two French reporters who were taken hostages by Taliban militants around 18 months ago have been freed and flew to their home on Thursday.

According to Siamak Herawy a presidential spokesperson, “we congratulate the journalists for their freedom and French government and the people of France for the freedom of the detained journalists.”

Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, in a video tape threatened the France government for the withdrawal of all French forces from Afghanistan and said that the freedom of the French belongs to French forces exit from Afghanistan.

The freedom of the French journalists is followed by president Nicolas Sarkozy’s announcement, in which he said that hundreds of French forces will be withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of this year.

Mr. Sarkozy said that French forces withdrawal from Afghanistan is dependent on United States troops withdrawal from this country.

Yet, the reason behind the freedom of the two detained journalists are unknown.

Meanwhile, Alain Juppe foreign minister of France said that his country has not paid rason for the release of the reporters.

He also said that Hamid Karzai had helped Paris secure the return of French journalists Taponier and Ghesquiere.

Mr. Juppe further added that the two other Afghan who were detained together with the French journalists have been released before, but that it was not made public over the need for secrecy in resolving hostage situations.

French government and colleagues of the detained journalists have welcomed the release of the detainees

Heve Ghesquiere a French reporter and Stephane Taponier a camerman of State Network “France 3” were detained by the Taliban militants late November 2009 in the mountains of Kapisa province, east of capital Kabul.

In a statement released from Sarkozy’s office said that the President was delighted at the release of the reporters and their Interpreter Reza Din.

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